ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has thrown Nigeria’s political and oil sectors into a state of panic after ordering the immediate arrest of the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari. The directive was issued following Kyari’s repeated failure to appear before lawmakers probing financial discrepancies flagged in federal audit reports.
While some political circles allege that Kyari has fled the country to evade prosecution for sweeping financial crimes committed during his tenure, the embattled ex-oil boss has broken his silence from abroad, dismissing the narrative that he is a fugitive.
The Audit Standoff
The legislative crisis reached a boiling point during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly. The committee is currently examining severe audit observations raised regarding company expenditures and receivables recorded over recent fiscal years.
Frustrated by Kyari’s absence, a motion for an arrest warrant was moved and aggressively backed by committee members. Lawmakers declared that no individual should see themselves as bigger than the nation, pushing for the legislature to exercise full constitutional powers to compel Kyari’s appearance. Following a voice vote, the committee ruled that security agencies should arrest Kyari immediately.
Kyari Rejects “Fugitive” Label, Cites Medical Treatment
Responding swiftly from outside the country, Mele Kyari expressed deep shock over the arrest order. He maintained that he had no intention of evading the Senate and had formally written to the committee weeks prior to inform them that he was out of Nigeria receiving critical medical care.
Kyari wrote in his official response that he had earlier communicated his situation to the committee. He stated that he remains completely willing to cooperate with the probe and account for his stewardship, but requested that his legal representatives be permitted to submit written responses to avoid delaying the legislative work while he convalesces. He also slammed media reports claiming he was hiding from law enforcement, labeling them a calculated campaign of disinformation.
Management Rejects Missing Funds Allegations
As the public reels from the financial allegations, former management executives mounted a strong defense before the Senate panel, categorically denying that any funds were missing.
Defending their record, executives described the accusations as mathematically inconsistent and misleading to the public. They argued that the figures raised by critics far exceeded the total gross revenue of the company across the entire multi-year period under review, making the claims factually impossible. Management asserted that under their leadership, the company broke a decades-long jinx by consistently publishing fully audited, transparent financial accounts.
Senate Distances Itself from Warrant Status
In a sudden twist that has further complicated the high-profile inquiry, leadership within the wider Senate chambers has reportedly distanced itself from the committee’s specific arrest declaration, indicating that a formal, plenary-approved warrant had not yet been finalized by the full upper house.
Nevertheless, the development highlights a major, ongoing institutional clampdown on the management of Nigeria’s oil wealth, keeping both local and international eyes on Kyari’s next move and his expected return to the country.
